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W. S. BALES.

DITCHING AND EANTH MOVING MACHINE. APPLICATION men MAR. 3. 1915.

Patented se t. 16, 1919 4 SHEETS-SHEET l- N r \Mwssms, 4 1m: km.

W V Wm: 72w 8. B/mzs I W. S. BALES.

DITCHING AND EARTH MOVING MACHINE. APPLICATION men MAR. 3.1915.

1,316,074. Patented Sept. 16, 1919,

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W. S. BALES. DITCHING AND EARTH movme MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 31 I915.

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Patented Sept. 16, 1919.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4- WAL TER 5'. EAL E6 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER s. news, or nns Mourns, IOWA, nssieivon crown-reunion ronean M.

SINCLAIR, or DES, MOINES, IOWA.

DITGHING AND mnrn-i/iovmeivrecniiin. 1

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 16, 1919.

Application filed March 3,1915. Serial no. 11,924.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER S. BALES, citizen of the United States of America, and. resident of Des Moines, Polk county, Iowa, have invented a new and useful Ditching and Earth-Moving Machine, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved construction for a ditching and earth-moving machine especially adapted for railway use. i

A further object of this invention is to provide improved means for mounting the main frame of such a machine for rotary adjustment on a support such as a truck.

A further object of this inventionis to provide a main frame mounted for rotary adjustment on a turntable and for rectilinear reciprocation on and relative to said. turntable. Q j

A further object of this invention is to provide an. improved digger frame and means for mounting the same. i

A further object of this invention is to provide improved means for pivotally con-- necting a digger frame to a main frame whereby said digger frame may be carried. in vertical position for operation andin horizontal position on said main frame when. not in operation, for storage or transportation.

A further object of this invention is to provide improved means for pivotally mounting a digger frame on. a vertical axis.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved construction for secur-- tatedfor the rotation of the gears 21 and17,. the table 18 and theframe 13 andelementsf vcarried thereby. A stub shaft 24is mounting adjustment of a digger frame vertically. A further object of this invention is to provide improved means for mounting a prime mover relative to a digger frame,

.A further object of this invention is to providean improved construction for endless diggers.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which--1 i i Figure 1. is a front elevation illustrating my improved machine mounted on a railway car andin position for operation. 2 is a side elevation illustrating the machine in folded or inoperative position. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partlyin section and on an.

pelledby any suitable motive power shown). A mainframe is constructed of enlarged scale, of thedigger frame and endless diggers. Fig. leis a plan and Fig. 5 a side elevation, 'oiianenlarged scale, illus'- tratingth'e horizontal conveyers 'is a vertical sectionon the line 66 of 4:, a connecting chute losing removed. Fig. 7

means a a for driving the same simultaneously. Fig. 6

is a side y elevationof'one end of a horizontal conveyor; I

In the construction of the machine as shown the numeral 10 designates generally a truck suchas a railway car adapted for travel on track rails 11 12 'and to be ro- Fnot suit-ablematerial such as'channel or angle bars, and is designatedgenerally by the nuineral 13. Skids 14, 15 are mounted loosely and slidingly and arranged longitudinally on the truck 10, are spaced. apart laterally andcarry a platform 16. A large gear 1 is mounted for rotation on the platform 16 and has a talole 18 fixed to its upper face. Slide bearings 19, 20 are mounted on, fixed to and rise from the table 18 and slidingly embrace, hold and supportthe lower Inemhers ofthefranie 13. The large gear 17 is in mesh with and adapted to be rotated bya small gear 21 fixed to a stub shaft 22 mounted for rotation in a vertical positionin the platform 16 and a bearing bracket 23 carried thereby. The stub shaft 22 projects at its upper end above the bearing bracket23 and isforined angular in cross-sectionfor the reception of a crank oflcommon form (notshown) by which said shaft may hero'- cd for rotation in the upper part of one of the slide" bearings 19 and a pinion 25 is on and fixedto one ofthe lower horizontal members of the frame 13. The stubshaft 2 1 projects beyond the bearing 19 atone end and is formed angular in cross sectionWfor the reception of a crank handle of common form (notshow'n) byineans of whichvsaid shaftmay be rotated to the endof rotating the pinion 25 and reciprocating the rack26, frame 13 and elements carried thereby.

A prime mover of any desiredtype, here illustrated. as a steam hoisting engine of common form designated generally by the numeral 27, and provided with hoisting drums 28, 29, is mounted on the rear portion of the main frame 13. A roof or canopy 30 preferably is mounted over the prime, mover 27 and is supported from theframe 13 by standards 31.

n the construction of the digging mechanisma diggen-head32is employed; which head is preferably of substantially. trape zoidal form in side elevation. A mast 33 is fixedto anddepends from the lower side. of the digger head 32, and said mast preferably is formedin twotelescoping sections adapted to .be,adjnsted vertically. and held in adjusted. -p1osition,by a set screw. 34. The ,upper portion of the telescoping mast .33 is pivotallyfi nounteddn .a bearing frame 35, and is restrained against. downward movement therein by a set collar and restingon-thc' top of said: frame. Arms 37 areifixedto andieXtend rearwardly. 'fronr the. ,bearing, frame. 35 andaare pivoted at thellIlKeEUI ends on a rod- 38vmounted transversely of the fonwardrend portion of the frame l3.. ,-.flhe\arms..37 are limited as to downward-movement by astop frame member 39 mounted transversely of the forward end-of the frame 13 in frontof the pivot rod crank. handle, 4:6 -.on its rear end; ,By this meansuthetdigger head and'elements carried therebya naygbe rotated-to set the digging devices at thedesired-angle relative-to the mainframe.,---,. Y

The diggenheadv32 Tis forked at its upper cornersyand-shafts 4.7, %L8 -areamounted for rotationatherein andssprocketz wheels 49, 50

are mounted in spaced pairs on saidshafts.

The mast 38 i fiQl'kedi at his lower end and a shaft 51 is mounted for rotationtherein, and spaced-sprocket wheels and iixed. .to saidx shafts ;-'Endless .chains 53, 5 1 aretmounted. .011, and iconnectithe respective membersof the pairs of sproeketawheels- 47,

48 and and are adapted for t1aVelthele.- on. ,Any, suitable excavating, and 1 elevating buckets, .fillCfhtiLS 59, here, showns-convention- I allyilmayabe carrled in spaced relation by the endless-ehains 53,,,542. A prime-moverfiO,

here;il-lu-strated as a twin-.eyl-inder steanr engene, is mounted on ,a.; p.latform;61carried by l the d1gger};. head, 32,nand! mayabe -.supplied rwlth steamr by v.a pipe 1 62leading from ;-the i 2 chains. (37, mounted respectively on 11311165 adjacent the 36 fixed to said mast rearend of the 52 .are mounted 0nrotat'ion in bearing brackets the members of the frame the spindles 76, 78. to the lower end-ofthe-shaft'8 land is in boiler of the rime mover 27 and supported by hangers (33 from the roof 30.

Sprocket wheels 61-, 65 are mounted on and fixed to the engine shaft (36 of the prime mover GO-and are connected by sprocket; 68 to sprocket wheels 65), 70 the shafts -17, 43. By this means the chains 53, 54: are driven for rotation of the buckets. It is to be understood thateither set of sprocket gearing 6-l6769 or (35-(5870 may be employed independently if desired to drive the endless d1ggers.-v

A grooved quadrant 71 is mounted on and fixedte the :arms 37 carryingthe digger pivot 38. A cable 72 is fixed-to the arm 37 at the 'bflSOzOf the quadrant 71, runs throughpthe groove of said quadrantzand passes:rearwardly and is fixed to andwadaptejd -.to be wound on the drum 2!). By thiseneans a pulling foreez may be plied to the arms 37 to raise them to vertical position on-themainframe 13, to the end of folcl-infg the digger frame-and clemeuts carriedwtherebyto horizontal positionon the forwardportion of said-main frame, as illus- *trated in F 1g. 12,

when the machine is not in operation. :The' steamzplpe 62 is provided -w1th'%a flexible section 62 to permit movement-of the digger head as above described;

A horizontal conveyer 73 is mountedon the forward iport-ioir of the anain frame13 and'has its :forwardend embraced and sup-- ported by a yoke 74 sl-idingly! mounted on the frameunemher 39. "The rear end port] on 011a transverse member of the fra 1116i '13 by a spindle 76. "A secondhorizontal eon- 'veyer '77 rear--ofthe conveyor 73 and on a lower plane, the forward end of the conveyor 77 lying beneath and comnnmicati11g with the conveyor 73. end. of :the 5 conveyer 77 is pivotally connected :by in spindle 78to a transverse memthe rear rshaft 73. of the conveyor 73 and is in mesh withand adapted to be driven by afbevel gear'tll mounted-for rotation on the spindle 76.

A spur gear 82 is fixed to and.for -rotation with theibevel gear '81 on the spindle 76, andlzsaid spur gear is in meslrwith and adapted to be driven by a pinion83 fixed-rte the upper end of a vertical shaft 84.. The shaft 84- is' mounted for 85 carried by 13 supporting A pinion 86 is fixed mesh. witlrnnd ada-ptedu'to be driven by a spuragear 87 mounted ifor rotation on the .a'nd' pivotally connected thereto is mounted on the frame 13 at the "of the eonveyer '73 is supported 'by'a yoke 275 resting The forward "ber of the"framesl3. The rear end of the conveyor 77 is supportedby a'yoke '79 sl'idinglyt: mountedzon a transverse member of -'the frameuL3. A bevel gearSO is fixed to spindle 78. A bevel gear 88"is fixed to the upper face of the spur gear 87 and 1s 1n mesh with and adapted to driv'e a bevel gear 89 fixed to the forward shaft 7 of the hor1 zontal conveyor 77. A grooved pulley 90 is 27 to the end of driving simultaneouslythe two horizontal conveyers73, 77.

A chute 92 is mounted 11131716. leads rear wardly from the diggerhead 32 and is deslgned to receive earth from the endless H digger when the buckets thereof arrive in horizontal and inverted position, and to discharge the same to the forward end of the conveyer 73. A chute 93 is mounted at the rear end of the conveyer 73 and is designed to connect said conveyer with the conveyer 77 and to transfer earth from the former to the latterconveyer.

In practical use the machine is employed for excavating, cleaning, enlarging or deepening ditches at the sides of railway right of ways. The gear 17 and table 18 are rotated in the manner above described to position the frame 13 at an angle to the truck 10, and the cable72 is slackened to the end of permitting the excavating frame to assume, through gravity, its vertical position at the side of the truck as shown in Fig. 1. The pinion 25 is rotated as above described to reciprocate the rack 26, and the frame 13 and excavating frame, to position said excavating frame as desired laterally relative to the truck 10 and the track on which it stands. The engine 60 is operated to drive the chains 53, 54:, and the buckets 59 thereon take up the earth and deliver the same to the chute 92 andconveyer 73, whence it is passed to the conveyer 77 by the chute 93. The conveyer 73 may be manually adjusted through an are at its forward end, by sliding yoke 74 on frame member 39, to bring it beneath the chute 92,

depending upon the position of the excavator frame. The conveyer 7 7 which maybe adjusted through an are at its rear end, by

sliding the yoke 7 9 on the frame 13, delivers the earth to the desired place on the truck 10.

The excavator frame may be rotated on vertical axis, by means of the worm shaft 4:1 and crank 16, to the end of causing the endless diggers to cut at the deslred angle relative to the path'of advance of the machine. For ordinary cuts or cleaning work it is desirable to pos1t1on the excavator frame in a plane parallel to the ralls 11, 1 2.

hen it is desiredto trim the banks of a cut, the elevator frame is positioned at an angle intersecting the path of advance ahead of j the machine and cuts at an angle to the bank. The depth of the cut may be regulated and adjusted by adjusting the telescoping mast 33 through the set screw 34;, the length of the chains 53, 5 1 being adjusted by removing or inserting sections containing the excavat mg devices.

The location of the primeinover 60 on the V excavator head is of peculiar advantage in in i iitwill 'be understood that" the machine may be used for excavating ahead of the 75 truck10 by setting the excavator frame alternately on opposite sides of the track, at

angles to the pathof advance; I-claii'n as my invention- 1. A machine of the class described, comprising, in combination, a main frame, bellcrank levers pivoted to said main frame each formed with arms at right angles to each other and each arm adapted to rest at times in horizontal position on the frame, and an excavator frame carried by the foremost arms of the bell-crank levers and substantially at right angles thereto and adapted to be carried in vertical position when said arms are resting on the main frame and in horizontal position above the main frame when the rearmost arms of the bellcrank levers are resting on the main frame.

2. A machine of the class decribed, com prising, in combination, a main frame, bellcrank levers pivoted to said main frame each formed with arms at right angles to each other and each arm adapted to rest at times in horizontal position on the frame, an excavator frame carried by the foremost arms of the bell-crank levers and substantially at right angles thereto and adapted to be carried in vertical position when said arms are resting on the main frame and in horizontal position above the main frame when the rearmost arms of the bell-crank levers are resting on the main frame, a grooved quadrant fixed to and connecting the arms of one of said bellcrank levers, a

carrier frame, a sprocket wheel carried by the lowerend ofsaid mast, a head of substantially trapezoidal form carried by said mast above said carrier frame, sprocket wheels carried by opposite ends of said head, and endless digging devices mounted on said sprocket wheels.

4. In a machine of the class described, a carrier frame suitably supported, a mast pivoted through said frame and adapted for oscillation on a vertical axis, a head of substantially trapezoidal form carried bythe upper end of said mast, a gear wheel car ried by the upper end of said mast, a Worm geamearried-by said-. eairrier fnaineand n-leshe. .aandsextended .in opposite directions thereing withesaidagearfiwheel tsprqekebmzheels from, spr eket-Wheels carried by the, lower b on the lower end of said mast and .en end end of saidqniast and by opposite ends Of porizions ofsaidnrhead,sandaendlesszdiggingv said. head,- andendless digging devices dQViQGSmQll 'saidmspreeket wheelsmounted on saidsproeket Wheels.

5. In anmaehine of the elassadeseribedya Signed by me at Des Moines, Iowa, this earrierwframev suitably supperjsed, a mast ninth day. of March, 1914. mounted through said carrier frame and W WALTERS. BALES. pivotedi =f0rrotary? .oscillabieni-en a vertical axis, said-mast .beingr adjustable as to length i, a head earriedbythesuppen end-0i said mast-m1 'Witnesses:

EARL M. SINCLAIR, e. RODNEY F. HUDSON.

Copies 02 this patentamay sbg obtained. tor i-five cents Heach bx addressing the Commissioner of Iatents,

Washington, D. O. Q 

